Innocence
by EeveeTree
Summary: Iris can't remember a time when she wasn't haunted by her nightmares, yet perhaps a certain person can change that. One-shot.


_No!_

Iris shot out of bed, her breath coming in heavy gasps that ricocheted off the walls of the cave. She blinked rapidly, rinsing the heart-wrenching image from her sight.

But it was still in her mind.

She drew her knees up to her chin, hugging herself tightly. She wished she could just completely erase it. It was ridiculous how often it recurred- in her dreams, her thoughts. For Arceus' sake, she didn't even know if it was real.

The first time she dreamed it… herself in the image had been a newborn baby. There was no way she could remember such a clear picture from an event she had experienced at such a young age. It must just be a nightmare, albeit one that happened to occur every few weeks.

Iris sighed. This time, it had been especially bad. Usually, the two figures walking away were nameless shadows, figures that didn't even look back as she wailed for them. Her parents, she had always assumed, abandoning her as a baby. As a young child, this had haunted her every step. However, after some time, she had managed to numb the pain. Even if the dreams truly did reflect on past events, she had others that she could rely on- Shaga, the town matriarch. She wasn't alone.

Then, the faces changed. The hidden figures became Shaga, her friends from the village. One by one, they left her crying. They were always there when she woke up, of course, but Iris couldn't fight the feeling that, someday, her dream would come true, that they would all abandon her.

This time, the faces had been Satoshi and Dento.

She glanced around the cave. They were still here. Satoshi was rolled up in a sleeping bag on the other side of the small space, snoring loudly. Slightly closer lay Dento, a small smile curving his lips as he slept soundly.

Iris shivered. They had looked so different in the dream. Normally the figures just ignored her… this time, they'd mocked her. Satoshi and Dento had turned around, laughing, as she'd begged for them to come back.

"Go back to you?" Satoshi had snickered. "You're such a child, Iris."

Dento guffawed. "Did you actually think we cared about you?" he smirked. "Such an assuming and naïve taste."

His face had been so cruel, his normally kind features so hard, so antipathetic. She had felt the pain, sharp and real, sear through her heart as he'd walked away… never to return.

A cold drop splashed onto her arm. She brought her hands to her face, and was startled to find more tears flowing down her cheeks. She brushed her eyes, trying to wipe them away…

But they just kept coming.

A cry issued from her throat as they cascaded down. She coiled into a sniffling, hiccupping ball. She felt so hopeless, so alone. Why didn't they… why couldn't it just all go away?

"Iris?"

Iris stiffened as she heard the ruffling of another sleeping bag. Crap, she didn't want him to see her… not like this…

"Iris, are you okay?"

She quickly wiped her eyes, then lifted her head to meet the speaker's gaze. "Y-yeah, of course! I'm fine, Dento."

The young sommelier gazed back, unconvinced. Slowly, he crawled out of his sleeping bag, and scooted to a spot next to his forlorn friend.

"There's a taste of melancholy about you."

Iris sighed. There was no hiding front Dento and his 'tasting' senses. "I-I just had a nightmare, that's all."

Dento frowned. He shifted slightly, bringing his head closer to Iris.

"You've been crying."

"Well, yeah," Iris responded, trying to sound tough. "A nightmare can do that to you."

"This doesn't seem like an ordinary nightmare."

Iris turned away from his soul-searching gaze. He could see far too much, that one.

_And I'm unable to hide anything from him._

"Iris," she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat. "You… you can tell me, if you want to. I'm not going to force anything out of you… but, do remember, I-I'm here for you. You can trust me."

Iris felt a blush fill her cheeks. He was so close, his face mere inches away from her own. And he sounded so… sincere, like he actually cared. _Maybe… it would be alright…_

"Well," she began. "I-I have this recurring dream."

She glanced at him, and he nodded for her to continue.

"In it, I'm always… lying on the ground, crying and shouting. And there are two figures… walking away. I beg them to stay, to not leave me alone… but they just keep going. Usually, it's two nameless figures, but this time…" she took a deep breath. "It was you and Satoshi."

Dento nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm… I could give you a long-winded psychological explanation about why these dreams occur," he smiled slightly at her. "But I have a feeling that wouldn't help you at all."

Iris nodded, staring at the ground. She doubted that anything, even an explanation, could chase the dreams away…

"But, Iris," she blinked in surprise as she felt his cool hands caress her cheeks. He gently pulled her face, only stopping when she met his green eyes with her brown ones.

"Iris, know that I will never leave you," he stared at her fiercely. "I _could never _leave you. Satoshi, too; he may have a slightly… distempered flavor, but when it comes down to it, he really cares about you." he smiled, his eyes shining brightly. "I _promise _that I'll stay by you forever... unless, ah, you ask me to go, of course."

She stared back at him as his words sunk in. He was so serious… so perfectly honest…

And suddenly, she knew. She didn't need to worry anymore. She would never be alone, abandoned by those she held most dear. The dreams would never come again.

She felt moisture build up in her eyes. A solitary tear streaked down her face. Soon, others joined it; Iris was crying once again.

But this time, they weren't tears of despair and abandonment. This moment was so beautiful, so perfect, so innocent…

_It makes me want to cry._

"Iris?" Dento frowned, and let go of her face. "I haven't upset you, have I?"

Iris shook her head and smiled. "No… not at all… this is the best feeling," She giggled at Dento's perplexed look. "I-I mean, thanks, Dento. I feel loads better."

"Oh," he laughed shakily. "I'm really glad… that I could help." He placed is hands back on her cheeks, drawing her face closer than before…

His lips brushed against her forehead.

Iris gasped, her heart pounding. Dento quickly withdrew. Both young trainers were clearly flustered as the red spread throughout their face.

"S-sorry," Dento stuttered out. "I-I shouldn't have been so informal…"

"N-no, it's fine."

Silence ensued. Iris focused her attention on calming her beating heart. Arceus, this was the craziest night of her life…

"W-well," Dento finally spoke about a minute later. "I, uh, I suppose it's sleeping time… um, goodnight Iris."

"Wait!" Iris exclaimed. They might have all the time in the world in the future, but she knew this moment would never recur. She couldn't let it pass her by. "Could you please… stay with me?"

Dento blinked in surprise. He paused, then quietly return to his original place next to Iris. "Of course. I'll stay for as long as you need me."

Iris blushed furiously. _I'm going to be so embarrassed by all this in the morning…_

The sun's piercing rays cut through the opening of the cave, a single lone beam resting on the face of Satoshi.

The young trainer blinked, the last visions of his dream fading into the morning mist. Slowly, he sat up and stretched, his beloved Pokémon following suit.

"Deeeeeeeeeeento!" he called out. "Is breakfast reeeeeeeeeady?"

There was no reply.

Satoshi cocked his head. Dento always had breakfast ready when he woke up. In fact, he usually was the one who _woke_ him up. What was going on…?

The boy climbed out of his sleeping bag, glancing curiously around the cave. Where…?

His eyes rested upon a bundle in the corner. They widened… and then softened.

He smiled. He turned and beckoned to his best friend, and the two of them silently left the enclosed space.

Wrapped in each others' arms, the other two slept on.


End file.
